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 SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

607

1647, Jan. 13. Head* of chief pcusaget in par- liament. No. 1.

1647, Jon. 13. Mercuriiu Dogmatieta, No. 1.

1647v|/an. 20. Mercuriut Candidut ; Weekly Newt, No. 1.

1647, Feb. 3. MtrcuTvu Aulicui, No. 1.

1647, Feb. 19. A perfect tummary of the chief pauaga in parliament. No. 1.

1647, Feb. 23. Moderate Uettenger, No. 23.

1647, June 17. Mercuriui Britannictu, No. 1.

1647, July 8. The Army\ Pott, No. 1.

1647, July 17. A Diary of the proceedings of the treaty. No. 1.

1647, Aug. 19. 7%« modern IntellMeneer, No. 1.

1647, iS«p. 4 — 11. Mercuriut Melanchulicut ; at oews firoin Westminster and other parts, No. 1.

Ehen I quid fed mlaero mihi ) Floribni Anstram, PenlitiU) et liquidis Immisl fonUbaa Apio«.

Woe Is me, iindoDe, with bluts the flowers doe (kde, Tlie Chrystal springs b7 Swine, are puddle made.

1647, Sep. 14. Mercuriui Pragmaticus, com- municating intelligence from all parts, touching all affairs, designs, humours, and conditions, thionghout^he ungdome, especially from^est- minster and head-quarters, No. 1.

When as we Uv'd in Peace (Ood wot)

A King would not content ns, But we (forsooth) moat hire the Scot

TlMdl-be FaiUnnent ns.

Then down went King and Biahopatoo,

On goes the holy worke. Betwixt them and the Brethren blew,

T* adrance the Crowne and Kirke.

But when that these had rdEn'd a time, Bob'd KUrke and Hold the Crowne,

A more Religions sort up cUmbe, And crash the Jockies downe.

Bnt now we most have Peace agalne.

Let none with feare be vext i For, If wlthoat the King these relgne.

Then heigh down they goe next.

Bf Marekmont Netdkam, toft Anthamf Wood.

1647, Sep. 17—24. Mercuriut Clerieui ; or, news from Syon, No. 1.

1647, Sep. 24. Mereuriut Anti-Melancholicut.

1647, Sep. 30. Mercuriui Anti-Pragmaticm.

1647, Nov. 4 — 11. Mercuriui Popului ; or News declaring plain truth to the people, No. 1.

1647, Nov. 12. MercttrituiZiuftcui, news from the several counties.

1647, Nov. 13. Mercuriui Bellicui ; or, an alarm to all rebels. No. 1.

1647. The modern Intelligencer, No. 98.

1647. Mereuriut Medicui; or, a sovereign salve for these sick times, No. 1. This year was remarkable for the contest between the parlia- ment and army. Chalmert.

1647. Mercuriui Morbieiu ; or, news from Westminster and other parts, Nos. 1, 2, 3.

1647. Mecuriut Diabolicui ; or. Hell's In- telligencer.

1M7. Mereuriut Vapulant.

1647. Mercuriui Mercuriorum ttultiitimui. ^647. Strange Neictfrom Campania, 4fo. ht a mountebank, 4to.
 * 164^ Newt from the Wett ; or, the character

1647, 8ep.\A. Strange Newt from Seotland; or, a strange relation of a terrible and prodigious monster, borne to the amazement of all specta- tors, in a village neere Edenbrough, called Ha- densworth, and the words the said monster spake at its birth. 4to. with a wood cut.

1647. JTie Levellert lecelVd; or, die Indepen- dents conspiracie to root out monarchic, an inter- lude. By Mercurius Pragmaticus.* London, 4to.

1648. An ordinance was passed for "the sup-

Sression of all stage plaies, and for the taking own all their boxes, stages, and seats whatso- ever, that so there might be no more plaies acted." "Those proud parroting players" are described as " a sort of superbious ruffians ; and, because sometimes the asses are clothed in lions' skins, the dolts imagine themselves some- body, and walke in as great state as Caesar." This ordinance against " boxes, stages, and seats," was, without a metaphor, a war of exter- mination. They passed their ploughshare over the land of the drama, and sowed it with Uieir salt ; and the spirit which raged in the governing powers appeared in the deed of one of their foUowen. Wnen an actor had honourably sur- rendered himself in battle to this spurious " saint," he exclaimed, " Cursed be he who doth the work of the Lord negligently," and shot his prisoner because he was an actor!

This stage persecution, which began in the reign of Elizabeth, had been necessarily resented by the theatrical people, and the fanatics were r«dly objects too tempting for the traders in wit and satire to pass by. They had made them- selves very marketable ; and the puritans, changing their character with the times, from Eliza- beth to Charles I., were often the Tartuffet of the stage. But when they became the govern- ment itself, in 1642, all ue theatres were sup- pressed, by an ordinance dated September 2, of that year, because " stage-plaies do not suit with seasons of humiliation ; but iastingand praying have been found very effectual." This was but a mild cant, and the suppression, at first, was only to be temporary. But as they gained strength, the hypocrite, who had at first only struck a gentle blow at the theatre, with re- doubled vengeance buried it in its own ruins. Alexander Brome's comedies disclose the secret motive: —

" Tla worth oor note

Bishops and plagtrt, both soiTer'd in one vote.

And reason good, for thta had cause to fear them;

One did suppress their schisms, and t' other ]eer them.

Bishops were gtiUtiest, for they swell'd with riches ;

T other had nought but veraes, songs, and speedies.

And by their ruin the state did no more

But rob the spittle, and nnrag the poor.

The tenor of the above ordinances was strictly enforced ; many young and vigorous actors Joined the king's army, in which for the most part they obtained commissions, and others re- tired on the scanty pittances they had eamed.t


 * Marchraont Needham.

t Some account of the dispersed actors will be found in that curious morsel HMoria HMrUnUa, preserved in the twelfth volume of Oodiley't old play*.

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